WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government has authorized the killing of American citizens as part of its controversial drone campaign against al Qaeda even without intelligence that such Americans are actively plotting to attack a U.S. target, according to a Justice Department memo.

The unclassified memo, first obtained by NBC News, argues that drone strikes are justified under American law if a targeted U.S. citizen had "recently" been involved in "activities" posing a possible threat and provided that there is no evidence suggesting the individual "renounced or abandoned" such activities.

The document was disclosed as a bipartisan group of U.S. senators called on the Obama administration to release to Congress "any and all" legal opinions laying out the government's understanding of what legal powers the president has to deliberately kill American citizens.

The senators who signed the letter, including members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the administration's cooperation would "help avoid an unnecessary confrontation that could affect the Senate's consideration of nominees for national security purposes."

Obama has nominated John Brennan, his White House counter terrorism adviser, who defends drone strikes, to lead the CIA.

An Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on the nomination is scheduled for Thursday, and Brennan is likely to face questioning on drone policy.

"...drone strikes are justified under American law if a targeted U.S. citizen had "recently" been involved in "activities" posing a possible threat and provided that there is no evidence suggesting the individual "renounced or abandoned" such activities."

It sounds like this include members of the 2nd Black Panthers in front of voting booths, no?

Indeed. MSNBC’s direct relationship with NBC proper means they will blow FOX out of the water on this story. I expect 24/7 coverage from MSNBC, to the point where they don’t even re-run their evening shows.

9
posted on 02/05/2013 10:43:53 AM PST
by jiggyboy
(Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)

When war is reduced to nothing more than an impersonal affair, just a game,, it’s easy to lose track of who one is and who one then becomes,, my vice is online poker, well, lately anyway.. my joysticks were retired long a go..

Incredible -- they've simultaneously confirmed that yes, you, random American citizen, are liable to get whacked by the CIA/ATF/KGB, while also making you the object of total public ridicule if you are distrustful of the government!

And consider the wider precedent this sets. Most sheeple won't be terribly bothered by this because the whole debate is framed around the concept of a drone-strike, they can't imagine their house or car or place of employment getting flattened by a hellfire missile. But if they can kill you without trial, without warning, without concrete reason, using a drone, they can just as easily justify killing you with a poison dart or a cynanide pill or a bullet to the back of the head on a dark street.

Imagine being targeted by a drone with fully automatic weapons and running to hide from it while a liberal Obama mind controlled nerd laughs his a$$ off hysterically while guiding it using his joystick and sitting at his computer drinking his Monster energy drink and eating Taco Bell.

This is where we’re headed if patriots don’t rise up. I think many real
patiots would have no problem locating the drone bunkers and gladly “remove” their “pilots” from active duty the old-fasioned American Way if they began targeting civilians

Drone bunkers aren’t needed to control drones with today’s linkage technology. That liberal Obama nerd could be targeting you right now from his ipad while he’s sippin’ on a double mocha latte at the local Starbucks.

19
posted on 02/05/2013 11:05:13 AM PST
by TADSLOS
(The Event Horizon has come and gone. Buckle up and hang on.)

There is no longer any respect for the constitution and the only thing keeping the politicians from using drone strikes on american soil is the prospect of having their necks stretched from a streetlight. Once that fear is gone expect to see them as a common occurrance.

I suggest then sir, that you NEVER travel abroad if that is your sole criteria. Unfortunately, some of us have to travel abroad occasionally (I was in the UAE earlier this year.) I guess that makes us all targets whenever whomever decides for whatever reason that we are enemies of the state. Cold comfort.

The Patriot Act and the DHS was always meant for right-wingers, Christians, and gun owners. There were people that tried warned about it when Bush started the ball rolling but it was too much fun to get scared of the Al Qaeda boogie man. Now Grandma gets groped at the airport, the local policed have been thoroughly militarized and federalized, every American has their phone calls and email tapped, and Al Qaeda gets money and arms, courtesy of the US taxpayers, to attack sovereign countries that pose no threat to the USA.

“But if they can kill you without trial,without warning, without concrete reason,using a drone,they can just as easily justify killing you with a poison dart or a cynanide pill or a bullet to the back of the head on a dark street.”

That’s called an “accident”, “natural cause” or “suicide”. If it’s convenient for the government, it’s all just a coincidence, comrade

Pretty much removes any doubt of the undeclared war being waged against We the People, dont you think?

Yes. However in another era it was said that you can conquer the Empire from horseback, but you cannot rule it from horseback. Sadly it may turn out that Obama's ghost writer's claim that 25 million people have to die for "utopia" to arise may be the river that has to be crossed from conquest to rule.

32
posted on 02/05/2013 6:03:31 PM PST
by magooey
(The Mandate of Heaven resides in the hearts of men.)

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